


Talking Hands

by mXrtis



Series: Mother of Invention High School [2]
Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: ADHD Character, Alternate Universe - High School, American Sign Language, Gen, MOI High AU, mute character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-09
Updated: 2016-01-09
Packaged: 2018-05-12 19:46:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5678386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mXrtis/pseuds/mXrtis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This takes place two years before the central plot of my Mother of Invention High School AU. Washington is a freshman and Maine is a sophomore who helps out in Wash's ASL class. (I swear I'm working on a central plot and I'm not gonna just up and stop this one like my other multichapter fics...) The translations for the signs in this fic are at the end. I hope this isn't too OOC, I was going for dorky Wash from back when he first started in Project Freelancer...<br/>-<br/>“Okay, everyone pair off! Today we’re going to learn how to sign the letters in our names.”<br/>The teacher brought up a list of the sign language alphabet on the projector. Pretty much everyone partnered up with the friends they carried over from middle school. Washington hovered by his desk, unsure of what to do.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Talking Hands

“Okay, everyone pair off! Today we’re going to learn how to sign the letters in our names.” 

The teacher brought up a list of the sign language alphabet on the projector. Pretty much everyone partnered up with the friends they carried over from middle school. Washington hovered by his desk, unsure of what to do.

“David, why haven’t you found a partner?” 

He swallowed the lump in his throat.

“Why don’t you go work with Porter…” 

He nodded quickly and grabbed his backpack. Washington was certain that everyone was staring at him and it hurt. 

Even on his first day, he’d already heard enough rumors about Porter Maine to last a lifetime. They ranged from ‘he can only growl’ to ‘he’s killed a kid before in gym class’. Maine sat in the chair by the teacher’s desk; he worked in the class as a teacher’s aide and so far, hadn’t said a single thing. Wash pulled up a chair next to him and dropped his backpack to the floor. Maine was easily a foot taller than him and with his shaved head and strong jaw, Wash could see why other kids were scared of him.

“Uhhh… Porter, right? I’m David. David Washington. But you can call me Wash! Or Washington! Or David, I guess… I don’t really know anyone here, I didn’t really have any friends in middle school and everyone is kind of paired up with their old friends. But I don’t have anyone, so the teacher put me with you. But we both have state last names! Isn’t that cool? I think it is. Can I call you Maine?” Wash stopped when he felt himself getting out of breath, then berated himself for not giving Maine any time to reply. Even after years on medication, he still had no idea when to stop talking.

Maine let out something kind of like a laugh and held up both of his index fingers extended as if to point. He tapped the nail of his left finger with his right finger. Then he spread the fingers on his right hand, and folded the thumb in; he held this vertical to his chin. 

Wash laughed awkwardly and scratched the back of his neck, “I… uh… I really don’t know anything about sign language, I’m sorry…”

Maine nodded and held up a hand telling him to wait. Wash bounced his leg and picked at the bottom seam of his shirt. Maine reached into his backpack and pulled out a notebook with a pen clipped onto the cover.

He wrote:

_ Hi Wash! :)  _

_ I can’t talk. _

_ You can call me Maine. _

And held it up to Washington to read.

“Okay! I thought I was talking over you! People always tell me I talk too much, I think it’s because I have ADHD. That’s what my mom says… And I always interrupt people. AAAAANNNNDDD now I’m rambling.” he paused, “Sorry.”

_ We balance each other out. _

Maine smiled and passed Wash the notebook.

“How?”

_ You talk too much and I don’t talk enough. _

Wash laughed and slid the notebook back.

_ I’ll sign my name first. Then I’ll help you sign yours. _

Wash nodded. Maine tucked his thumb under his first three fingers. Then he moved to a loose fist with his thumb extended facing Wash. He leaned his thumb against his pointer finger and extended his pinky. Then Maine tucked his thumb under his first two fingers. Finally he held his palm facing Wash and pulled his fingers up to the start of his first knuckle and placed his thumb just under them.

_ Now you. I’ll help. _

Wash held up his hand. Maine curled his pinky down and then moved his thumb to touch the pinky. He drew a W in the air. Wash opened his palm, and signed W again. He opened his palm again. Maine curled all of his fingers down except for his thumb, which he pushed against the loose fist. He drew an A; Wash copied the sign. Maine bent his thumb inwards, making a fist. He drew an S; Wash copied the sign. Maine straightened out Wash’s first two fingers and let the thumb drop naturally, then drew an H in the air.

“Thanks, Maine!” 

The teacher, Mrs. Alvarez, motioned for everyone to go back to their seats and started talking about the uses of finger signing. She signed out textbooks to everyone and assigned homework. After the bell rang, Wash shoved all of his stuff into his backpack and darted out of the class, he stopped for a second to wave at Maine, see him wave back, and then took off again.

**Author's Note:**

> The signs from this fic:
>
>> Maine let out something kind of like a laugh and held up both of his index fingers extended as if to point. He tapped the nail of his left finger with his right finger. Then he spread the fingers on his right hand, and folded the thumb in; he held this vertical to his chin. 
> 
> Can't talk.
>
>> Maine tucked his thumb under his first three fingers. Then he moved to a loose fist with his thumb extended facing Wash. He leaned his thumb against his pointer finger and extended his pinky. Then Maine tucked his thumb under his first two fingers. Finally he held his palm facing Wash and pulled his fingers up to the start of his first knuckle and placed his thumb just under them.
> 
> M A I N E


End file.
